I should say that watching Spooks from Australia makes me miss London. Spooks will give you a slightly misleading view of London. In Spooks, it never rains, the Northern Line is always working, it is possible to cross the city and diffuse a bomb in 8 minutes, the A&E wards are never overcrowded and budget […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-12-09 11:25:142017-02-23 01:51:51Things I miss about London (Part 3): Spooks
Warning: this post is as long as the book, and not nearly as interesting. The Sri Lankan High Commission is holding a food fair today. With my mouth watering at the thought of freshly cooked hoppers (try to imagine a crepe cooked with coconut milk and palm sugar), I asked my father if he was […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-11-13 15:20:022017-02-23 01:51:59The Origin of the Species
On Saturday night, the CTU and I took husband out to dinner for his birthday. By “CTU” I mean my Control Top Underwear. It seems only fair that I refer to the CTU when I refer to myself as it has become an integral and ever-present part of my life. And calling it the CTU makes […]
My father taught us to pray, and so as children, we prayed for the big, global concepts (an end to poverty and hunger, peace in Sri Lanka, more Smurf figurines for children everywhere). We were not encouraged to pray for material things for ourselves but asking for qualities (such as courage and determination) was acceptable. […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-10-27 12:00:132017-02-23 01:52:24One hour, that's all I ask...
I am a very bad Mummy. Today I let my children (Prima, aged 6 and Secundo, aged 5) go to see a movie called Diary of a Wimpy Kid with their grandma. It is the school holidays and they have been asking to see this movie for weeks. The advertisements about it on TV looked […]
My husband has just set off with Prima (aged 6) and Secundo (aged 5) for the last ski of the season. I like saying “the last ski of the season” because it makes us seem like some Austrian family whose children could ski before they could talk. Actually, we are a Sri Lankan family and […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-10-01 09:46:582017-02-23 01:52:35Tell them lies, tell them sweet little lies
Last week I had coffee with my cousin who has just had a baby. The conversation turned to “Helpful things people say that drive me insane.” She recalled how when her newborn cried, her mother, mother-in-law and husband all responded with a “He must be hungry.” or the more subtle “Is it time for a […]
When I was a teenager, my father once tried to explain and extol the virtues of the arranged marriage. He said that when people fall in love, they are acting on an emotional, physical and hormonal impulse. The behaviour is not necessarily rational or reasonable. When the feeling fades or dissipates, if certain “fundamentals” are […]
Ten days ago, I lost the will to blog. I blame Stieg Larsson and his infuriatingly addictive book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which unfortunately for my children was the first in a trilogy (I am now part way through book 3). I don’t want to do anything but read. I have lost the […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-09-15 10:38:542017-02-23 01:53:02Those Swedes are so sexy
Two years ago, Tercero came rushing into the world. I’ve been feeling nostalgic about my pelvic floor muscles, apologetic to my perineum and I’ve been trying to remember what it feels like to sneeze without clenching (hard). In honour of the great day, I have reprised the birth announcement that we sent out at the time. […]
When Newborn was brought home from the hospital, the biggest threat to his health and safety was the inquisitive and intrusive fingers of his older brother Tercero. Aged nearly two, Tercero seems destined for a life of crime. He will walk up to any child of any size, push his face in front of theirs […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-08-31 19:27:462017-02-23 01:53:25An eye for an eye
Recently, Prima was asked the inevitable “What do you want to be when you grow up?” question by my mother. Encouraged by her grandmother’s praise over her prolific art work, Prima declared that she wanted to be an artist. My mother duly affirmed her 6 year old optimism with a “That’s wonderful darling, you’ll be […]
I had a playdate yesterday with the stay-at-home-husband of my best friend. Like us, the family has recently migrated back to Canberra from England. My best friend is working and her husband is staying at home for now to look after their 18 month old daughter (hereafter referred to as Cub-ling to protect her secret and very sweet […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-08-24 20:57:272017-02-23 01:53:41Stay-at-home-dads are so relaxed it stresses me
I watch a lot of children’s television. This is because my children watch too much children’s television (for example, see Law & Disorder). In the heady days of my first pregnancy when I had time to rub my belly with cocoa butter, read books on fetal development and contemplate (delude myself about) the kind of […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-08-24 13:36:292017-02-23 01:53:57Addicted to children's television
I have said that so many times in my life. Variations include: I will play with you in five minutes, I just need to wash the dishes/load the washing machine/tidy up/put away (insert name of one of hundreds of objects I put away each day)/cook dinner/feed (insert name of one of four or all children)/ […]
Before I had children, I never baked a damn thing. I never saw the point. Why bake when you can buy (especially if you shop at Waitrose)? I remember attending the 1st birthday of my niece, years before I had Prima. My cousin, the baby’s mother, is a brilliant doctor and dedicated mother, who insisted […]
My husband recently asked me when I was going to stop walking around naked in front of the children. He said he was sure that when he was Prima’s age (6 years old) he did not see his mother naked. The thing is, I don’t think of myself as naked around them and they haven’t […]
Yes I know that probably makes me sound pretentious but for the Brits reading this, you know there is only one news service. Here’s another game that both men and women like to play but only women admit to (honestly, minds out of the gutter please, we are still talking about the news). The game […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-08-09 21:07:002017-02-23 01:54:38Things I miss about London (Part 2): the BBC
At school, our older children, Prima (aged 6) and Secundo (aged 5) are learning how to deal with bullying and conflict. When troubled by some one, they have been taught to stand up and say in a loud clear voice, assertively and politely: “Stop it, I don’t like it.” They have then been instructed by […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-07-31 14:57:462017-02-23 01:54:48Stop it, I don't like it
My husband is the Sri Lankan equivalent of Jason Bourne. I’m serious, and I’m not just saying that because I have an unhealthy interest in Matt Damon. You can put my husband in any vehicle, of any size, in any city in the world, on any side of the road and he will immediately and […]
http://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.png00Shankari Chandranhttp://shankarichandran.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ShankariChandran-websiteheader-300x100.pngShankari Chandran2010-07-28 13:52:082017-02-23 01:54:58Jason Bourne would definitely drive a people mover
Things I miss about London (Part 3): Spooks
/2 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranI should say that watching Spooks from Australia makes me miss London. Spooks will give you a slightly misleading view of London. In Spooks, it never rains, the Northern Line is always working, it is possible to cross the city and diffuse a bomb in 8 minutes, the A&E wards are never overcrowded and budget […]
The Origin of the Species
/7 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranWarning: this post is as long as the book, and not nearly as interesting. The Sri Lankan High Commission is holding a food fair today. With my mouth watering at the thought of freshly cooked hoppers (try to imagine a crepe cooked with coconut milk and palm sugar), I asked my father if he was […]
The CTU, 24/7
/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranOn Saturday night, the CTU and I took husband out to dinner for his birthday. By “CTU” I mean my Control Top Underwear. It seems only fair that I refer to the CTU when I refer to myself as it has become an integral and ever-present part of my life. And calling it the CTU makes […]
One hour, that’s all I ask…
/5 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranMy father taught us to pray, and so as children, we prayed for the big, global concepts (an end to poverty and hunger, peace in Sri Lanka, more Smurf figurines for children everywhere). We were not encouraged to pray for material things for ourselves but asking for qualities (such as courage and determination) was acceptable. […]
Parental Guidance Recommended
/3 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranI am a very bad Mummy. Today I let my children (Prima, aged 6 and Secundo, aged 5) go to see a movie called Diary of a Wimpy Kid with their grandma. It is the school holidays and they have been asking to see this movie for weeks. The advertisements about it on TV looked […]
Tell them lies, tell them sweet little lies
/8 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranMy husband has just set off with Prima (aged 6) and Secundo (aged 5) for the last ski of the season. I like saying “the last ski of the season” because it makes us seem like some Austrian family whose children could ski before they could talk. Actually, we are a Sri Lankan family and […]
Wrong answer
/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranLast week I had coffee with my cousin who has just had a baby. The conversation turned to “Helpful things people say that drive me insane.” She recalled how when her newborn cried, her mother, mother-in-law and husband all responded with a “He must be hungry.” or the more subtle “Is it time for a […]
The Arranged House
/11 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranWhen I was a teenager, my father once tried to explain and extol the virtues of the arranged marriage. He said that when people fall in love, they are acting on an emotional, physical and hormonal impulse. The behaviour is not necessarily rational or reasonable. When the feeling fades or dissipates, if certain “fundamentals” are […]
Those Swedes are so sexy
/5 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranTen days ago, I lost the will to blog. I blame Stieg Larsson and his infuriatingly addictive book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which unfortunately for my children was the first in a trilogy (I am now part way through book 3). I don’t want to do anything but read. I have lost the […]
Terribly Two
/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranTwo years ago, Tercero came rushing into the world. I’ve been feeling nostalgic about my pelvic floor muscles, apologetic to my perineum and I’ve been trying to remember what it feels like to sneeze without clenching (hard). In honour of the great day, I have reprised the birth announcement that we sent out at the time. […]
An eye for an eye
/2 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranWhen Newborn was brought home from the hospital, the biggest threat to his health and safety was the inquisitive and intrusive fingers of his older brother Tercero. Aged nearly two, Tercero seems destined for a life of crime. He will walk up to any child of any size, push his face in front of theirs […]
The farmer’s wife
/5 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranRecently, Prima was asked the inevitable “What do you want to be when you grow up?” question by my mother. Encouraged by her grandmother’s praise over her prolific art work, Prima declared that she wanted to be an artist. My mother duly affirmed her 6 year old optimism with a “That’s wonderful darling, you’ll be […]
Stay-at-home-dads are so relaxed it stresses me
/1 Comment/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranI had a playdate yesterday with the stay-at-home-husband of my best friend. Like us, the family has recently migrated back to Canberra from England. My best friend is working and her husband is staying at home for now to look after their 18 month old daughter (hereafter referred to as Cub-ling to protect her secret and very sweet […]
Addicted to children’s television
/1 Comment/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranI watch a lot of children’s television. This is because my children watch too much children’s television (for example, see Law & Disorder). In the heady days of my first pregnancy when I had time to rub my belly with cocoa butter, read books on fetal development and contemplate (delude myself about) the kind of […]
Not tonight darling, I’m busy.
/3 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranI have said that so many times in my life. Variations include: I will play with you in five minutes, I just need to wash the dishes/load the washing machine/tidy up/put away (insert name of one of hundreds of objects I put away each day)/cook dinner/feed (insert name of one of four or all children)/ […]
The Baking Bandwagon
/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranBefore I had children, I never baked a damn thing. I never saw the point. Why bake when you can buy (especially if you shop at Waitrose)? I remember attending the 1st birthday of my niece, years before I had Prima. My cousin, the baby’s mother, is a brilliant doctor and dedicated mother, who insisted […]
The Naked Truth
/4 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranMy husband recently asked me when I was going to stop walking around naked in front of the children. He said he was sure that when he was Prima’s age (6 years old) he did not see his mother naked. The thing is, I don’t think of myself as naked around them and they haven’t […]
Things I miss about London (Part 2): the BBC
/6 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranYes I know that probably makes me sound pretentious but for the Brits reading this, you know there is only one news service. Here’s another game that both men and women like to play but only women admit to (honestly, minds out of the gutter please, we are still talking about the news). The game […]
Stop it, I don’t like it
/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranAt school, our older children, Prima (aged 6) and Secundo (aged 5) are learning how to deal with bullying and conflict. When troubled by some one, they have been taught to stand up and say in a loud clear voice, assertively and politely: “Stop it, I don’t like it.” They have then been instructed by […]
Jason Bourne would definitely drive a people mover
/3 Comments/in Parenting /by Shankari ChandranMy husband is the Sri Lankan equivalent of Jason Bourne. I’m serious, and I’m not just saying that because I have an unhealthy interest in Matt Damon. You can put my husband in any vehicle, of any size, in any city in the world, on any side of the road and he will immediately and […]